Thumb rest for clarinets or other musical instruments



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THUMB REST FOR CLARINETS OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 31, 1356 INVENTOR.

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U it Stat fi THUMB REST FOR CLARINETS OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Clem Dowling, New York, N. Y.

Application May 31, 1956, Serial No. 588,449

14 Claims. (Cl. 84382) This invention relates to an improvement in a thumb rest for clarinets or other musical instruments of like characteristics.

An object of this invention is to provide a more comfortable means for holding the instrument firmly and with maximum ease.

Another object of this invention is to provide a thumb rest having an adjustable mounting which will permit attachment in the varyingly spaced screw-threaded sockets found on clarinets of difierent sources.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a thumb rest having a readily replaceable resilient sponge rubber or foam sponge unit.

A further object is to provide a thumb rest which is reversible end over end to permit adjustment, should it become worn or distorted in one spot.

This invention provides a more comfortable thumb rest than that in current use. Clarinets are ordinarily provided with a base plate having a hook for the thumb. The base plate is generally held by screws which fit into two holes drilled into the wall of the clarinet. The invention utilizes the two holes for attachment to the clarinet.

The accompanying drawing illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates the thumb rest mounted upon a clarinet and the manner in which the instrument is held by the musician;

Fig. 2 illustrates one form of the thumb rest mount- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the thumb rest assembly of Figure 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view at plane 4-4 of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 illustrates one of the preferred slotted base plates employed in mounting the thumb rest on clarinets having screw-threaded sockets varying in distance apart.

The thumb rest assembly comprises a base plate 1, or preferably 9, which is attached to the clarinet 2 by means of two screws 3 and 4 which fit into two screwthreaded holes in the tubular wall of the clarinet. Fixed- 1y carried by the base plate 1 is a screw-threaded stud 5 which mates with the internal threads 6 of cylindrical sleeve 7. About the sleeve 7 is a resilient, soft, or sponge rubber, or sponge plastomer cover 8. This cover 8 preferably is tightly or firmly attached to sleeve 7, in order not to rotate thereabout. Since the internal threads 6 extend the full length of the sleeve, the thumb rest is reversible end over end.

In the preferred or ultimate form of the invention, which is indicated in Figure 5, the base plate 9 replaces the base plate 1. Adjustable base plate 9 is provided with a fixedly mounted screw-threaded stud 10 which is similar to stud 5. Plate 9 is further provided with angularly disposed slots 11 and 12 in which the holding screws 3 and 4 seat. Base plate 9 can therefore be attached to clarinets having varyingly spaced apart screwthreaded holes or sockets. p g

The knurled headed screw 14 fits into the outer open end of the sleeve 7.. Screw 14 may be regarded as ornamental; However, persons skilled in the art will readily comprehend that screw 14 may be modified to provide a locking function. For instance, it may be provided with a screw-threaded section of reduced diameter, not shown, fitting into a threaded hole, also not shown, in the outer end of stud 5.

Although the slots 11 and 12 are preferably angularly disposed, as shown in Figure 5, it is within the scope of the invention to dispose the slots in horizontal alignment, as are the two holes 15 and 16 in plate 1. However, the horizontally aligned slots may be offset from, or below, the stud 10.

Although it is preferred to mount stud 5, or stud 10, fixedly upon the base plate, it is within the scope of the invention to mount the stud rotatably, whereby additional adjustment for localized wear or distortion of the cover 8 may be obtained. Also, the preferred cylindrical sleeve 7 may be replaced by a sleeve having an outer oval or elliptical shape, in place of the circular cross section of the cylindrical sleeve.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A clarinet instrument comprising a clarinet and a thumb rest assembly therefor, the assembly comprising a base plate attached to the clarinet, a screw-threaded stud carried by the base plate, a sleeve having internal threads which mate with the screw threads of the stud, a resilient cover about the sleeve, and means to attach the plate to the clarinet.

2. A clarinet instrument comprising a clarinet and a thumb rest assembly therefor, the assembly comprising a base plate attached to the clarinet, a screw-threaded stud fixedly carried by the base plate, a sleeve having internal threads which mate with the screw threads of the stud, a resilient soft plastomer cover firmly attached about the sleeve, the base plate having elongated holding slots, and means seating in the slots to attach the plate to the clarinet.

3. The instrument of claim 2 in which the means seating in the slots comprise screws which attach the plate to the clarinet, the clarinet having screw-threaded holes into which the screws fit.

4. The instrument of claim 3 in which the sleeve has a cylindrical outer wall, the cover also being cylindrical.

5. The instrument of claim 2 in which the slots are angularly disposed to each other.

6. The instrument of claim 2 in which the slots are angularly disposed to each other, and the stud is mounted between the slots.

7. The instrument of claim 2 in which the internal threads of the sleeve extend the full length of the sleeve, whereby either end of the sleeve may be attached to the stud.

8. The instrument of claim 1 in which the internal threads of the sleeve extend the full length of the sleeve, whereby either end of the sleeve may be attached to the stud.

9. A thumb rest assembly for a musical instrument comprising a base plate attachable to the instrument, a screw-threaded stud carried by the base plate, a sleeve having internal screw threads which mate with the threads of the stud, and a resilient cover about the sleeve.

10. A thumb rest assembly for a musical instrument comprising a base plate attachable to the instrument, a stud carried by the base plate, a rigid sleeve removably mounted upon the stud, and a resilient plastic cover about the sleeve.

11. A thumb rest assembly for a musical instrument comprising a base plate having elongated adjustment slots whereby it may be attached to the instrument, a stud carried by the base plate, a rigid sleeve removably mdunted'upon'the stud, and a resilient cover about the sleeve.

12. The assembly of claim 11in which the stud is fixedly carried by the base plate, and is screw-threaded, the sleeve has internal screw threads which mate with the stud threads, and the resilient cover is fixedly carried 10 by the sleeve.

13. The assembly of claim 12 in which the internal threads 'of'the'sleeve extend the'fu'll length of the sleeve, whereby either end of the sleeve may be attached to the stud.

14. The assembly of claim 13 in which the outer surface of the sleeve and of the cover is cylindrical, the sleeve being circular in cross-section.

No references cited. 

